Conference Action Starts Saturday in North County

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With its regular season tournament schedule complete, UC San Diego now moves into California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) action. In their lone match of the week, the Tritons travel to cross-county rival Cal State San Marcos on Saturday, Sept. 8 (7 p.m.).

CCAA OPENERSSince becoming a member of the California Collegiate Athletic Association for the 2000 season, UC San Diego is 14-4 in conference openers. In 2017, the Tritons took a 3-1 victory at home against Cal State San Marcos to kick off its league slate. The last time they opened with a loss was in 2012 when they were swept by Cal State Dominguez Hills in La Jolla.

FRESNO HEATJunior middle Jessica Rieble was outstanding during the West Region Showcase in Fresno, leading the Tritons in points, kills, attack percentage, and blocks over four matches. She recorded match-highs with 14.5 points, 11 kills, five blocks, and a .714 attack percentage vs. Fresno Pacific. Against Simon Fraser, Rieble had a team-high 10 points with eight kills and two blocks while hitting a match-best .571. She wrapped up the tourney with a match-high five blocks and a .500 attack percentage against Seattle Pacific. Overall, Rieble hit .463 and averaged 3.3 points, 2.5 kills, and 1.3 blocks per set.

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A PENNY FOR YOUR DIGSJunior libero Alyson "Penny" Penrose collected her 500th career dig this season. Entering the year, she had 392 and went over 500 with 13 scoops at Fresno Pacific on August 31.

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DOWN BUT NOT OUTThe Tritons came back from a two-set deficit to defeat Hawai'i Hilo in five on Aug. 24. It was the first time that UC San Diego had stormed back from two down to win since Oct. 2, 2014, when it did so at Humboldt State.

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START ME UPAfter defeating Hawai'i Pacific on Aug. 24, the UC San Diego women's volleyball program moved to 17-2 (.895) in season-opening matches during its NCAA Division II era (since 2000). The Tritons lost to Simon Fraser in 2016 and fell against Concordia-St. Paul, the top-ranked team in the country at the time, in 2008.

ON THE DOUBLEThrough six matches, three Tritons have produced a total of four double-doubles.• Gina Cortesi (2)8/24 at Hawai'i Hilo (12k, 11d)8/24 vs. Hawai'i Pacific (10k, 10d)

• Maria Mayhew (1)8/24 at Hawai'i Hilo (46a, 10d)

• Brie Severino (1)9/1 vs. Seattle Pacific (11a, 13d)

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RIMAC RENOVATIONThe Tritons will be playing in an updated RIMAC Arena for most of the season as it is undergoing its first significant renovation in its nearly 24-year existence (opened in January of 1995). The project will modernize the arena, improve training and competition facilities for student-athletes, and provide fans with a first-class live event experience. The renovation includes new retractable seating, modern glass railings, and a VIP skybox. The arena’s most noticeable new features will be the addition of a 50’ wide Daktronics digital video display and scoreboard that will span the facility’s south end as well as state-of-the-art courtside LED scorer’s tables. A new video production facility is also in the works. The project was started this summer and you can read more about it here.

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DIG FOR A CUREThe annual Dig for a Cure match in support of breast cancer awareness will take place on Friday, Oct. 5, as the Tritons host Cal State San Bernardino.

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THE REIS CUPThe sixth annual Reis Cup is slated for Saturday, Oct. 6, when UC San Diego hosts Cal Poly Pomona. The event honors former Triton volleyball player Karen Reis, who passed away tragically in 2012. UC San Diego is 4-1 in Reis Cup matches and has won the last two.

HEAD COACH RICCI LUYTIESNow in his ninth season leading the Tritons in 2018, Ricci Luyties currently holds a 154-81 (.655) overall record and a 110-54 (.671) mark in CCAA matches during his tenure at UC San Diego. Four times Luyties has paced UC San Diego to at least 20 victories, which includes an impressive 26-6 (.813) campaign in 2013. He recorded his 150th victory as a Triton on Oct. 27, 2017. The Tritons have qualified for NCAA postseason play five times under Luyties, reaching the regional semifinals in four of those years. In 2010 and again in 2013, UC San Diego climbed as high as No. 8 in the national rankings. Prior to coming to La Jolla, Luyties was head coach at Southern Mississippi for six seasons. As a setter at UCLA, Luyties helped lead the Bruins to four consecutive national championships. He was named the NCAA's Most Valuable Player twice and was inducted into the UCLA Hall of Fame. At the international level, Luyties, alongside Karch Kiraly and Steve Timmons, won a gold medal at the 1988 Olympics. He also played on the beach for 12 years, competing on the AVP Tour and FIVB World Tour with partners such as Kiraly and Adam Johnson. For Luyties' full bio, click here.

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BIG (WEST) NEWS FOR UC SAN DIEGOOn Nov. 27, 2017, UC San Diego was officially invited to become a member of the NCAA Division I Big West Conference. The Tritons begin a four-year reclassification period starting in the fall of 2020 and will play a full Big West schedule that season. During the transition, UC San Diego will be eligible for National Collegiate Championships in men's volleyball, men's and women's water polo, and men's and women's fencing. For the 2024-25 academic year, all sports will be eligible to compete in Big West and NCAA Division I Championships. UC San Diego will remain an NCAA Division II institution for the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons and the volleyball team will continue competing as a member of the California Collegiate Athletic Association. Read the full press release here.

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GEAR UP For the latest in Triton athletic gear, make sure to visit ucsdtritonsgear.com. Run by UC San Diego Athletics' online partner Advanced-Online, the site provides an on-demand option for Triton athletic apparel and merchandise. Fans have access to over 600 products that can be processed and shipped within 24 hours.

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FOR THE YOUNGER CROWD Got some young Triton fans in your family? If they are eighth grade or under, check out the Junior Triton Club. Membership includes a free t-shirt, admission to over 100 UC San Diego home athletic events, and much more!

UP NEXTAfter playing its first seven matches of the season on the road, UC San Diego opens its home slate next week with a pair of matches at Main Gym - San Francisco State on Friday, Sept. 14 and Cal State East Bay on Saturday, Sept. 15 (both at 7 p.m.). The contests will be played in Main Gym due to the RIMAC Arena renovation.